2007 SCHEDULE

August Pro	September Pro
August Rookie	September Rookie

2007 Freeland Youth Flag Football Program (FYFF)

Tittabawassee Township Parks and Recreation will be organizing a fall athletic event for the youth of the Freeland area, generally consisting of the children within the school district boundaries. This program will be known as Freeland Youth FLAG Football. This long-time and very popular sport will be organized as a five-on-five game filled with fun and action, allowing all participants to play all positions. In this game, the offensive team plays for a first down at midfield and a touchdown in the end zone. Running and passing plays are allowed, although there are “no-running zones” at midfield and near each goal line. The defensive team covers receivers, rushes the passer and grabs flags to make “tackles.”

This program is designed to educate young people about the basics of football while emphasizing exercise, fun, team participation and sportsmanship. Players learn skills and lessons that help them succeed both on and off the field.

LOCATION AND FACILITY

The FYFF program will be hosted at the Tittabawassee Township Park on Old Midland Road. The township will maintain four grass flag football fields. These fields will be approximately 30 yards wide and 70 yards long (including end zones). This area will be the location for all games and practices. Flag football fields will consist of cut grass, and marked fields (no goal posts), and cones indicating the end zone, midfield, and no running zones.

COST

A registration fee of $20 will cover the Football season. This cost will provide for team jersey, player flags, team footballs, practice and games. Each player will be required to provide his or her own mouth guard.

SPORTSMANSHIP

In the FYFF program sportsmanship will rule! We will strive to teach each player to be good sports. Each player will shake hands with one another following the game, congratulating each no matter the score. Referees will be treated with respect and coaches will be role models for all involved.

LEAGUE AGE DIVISIONS

Rookie –Boys and girls in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2^nd grades

Pro – Boys and girls in 3^rd and 4^th grades

Each player will be required to play in his or her associated division.

TEAMS

Teams in each division will consist of a minimum of 5 players and a maximum of 10 players.

SEASON

The season will begin in late August and end about the last week of September. This will consist of a minimum of 5 games, 2 practices, and one ‘special game’. All practices and games will be held between Monday and Thursday (no weekend sports!).

Registration notices will be sent to the children in late May. Actual registration will take place the first week of June. The month of July will be used to put together teams, coaches, and necessary referees. Each coach will attend a mandatory meeting in early August to go over rules, schedules, and teams rosters. Players will be notified immediately following the Coaches meeting. Games will begin on August 20th and continue thru the month of September.

RULES

Overall

Each team must field a minimum of 5 players to start the game.
Coaches shall rotate All Players and their positions during each game.
A coin toss determines first possession.
The offensive team takes possession of the ball at its 5-yard line and has three plays to cross midfield. Once a team crosses midfield, it has four plays to score a touchdown. If the offense fails to score, the ball changes possession and the new offensive team takes over on its 5-yard line.
If the offensive team fails to cross midfield, possession of the ball changes and the opposition starts its drive from its 5-yard line.
All possession changes, except interceptions, start on the offense’s 5-yard line.
The game is made up of 4- 10minute quarters with a 5-minute half time. Teams change sides after each quarter. Possession changes to loser of coin toss for the 3^rd quarter. The clock does not stop, unless the referee feels it is necessary or a time out is called. The referee will keep the official time.

· Each time the ball is spotted, a team has 30 seconds to snap the ball. Teams will receive one warning before a delay-of-game penalty is enforced.

· The Rookie division will play with one coach per team on the field in an effort to assist the players in plays and position before the snap of the ball.

· The Pro division will have coaches on the sidelines and shuttle plays and players in from this point.

Each team has one 60-second and one 30-second time-out per half.

If the score is tied at the end of 4 quarters, teams move directly into overtime. A coin flip will occur and overtime will start at midfield. The first team to score wins.

Running

The quarterback cannot run with the ball.
Only direct handoffs behind the line of scrimmage are permitted. Offense may use multiple handoffs.
“No-running zones” located five yards from each end zone and five yards on either side of midfield are designed to avoid short-yardage, power-running situations.
The player who takes the handoff can throw the ball from behind the line of scrimmage.
Once the ball has been handed off, all defensive players are eligible to rush.
Spinning is allowed, but players cannot leave their feet to avoid a defensive player (no diving).
The ball is spotted where the ball carrier’s feet are when the flag is pulled, not where the ball is.
Pitches are allowed to the running back, however if the ball is dropped it will be considered a fumble and the play ends and the ball is marked at the point of the fumble. Laterals are not permitted.

Passing

Shovel passes are allowed.
The quarterback has a ten-second “pass clock.” If a pass is not thrown within the ten seconds, play is dead, loss of down. Once the ball is handed off, the ten-second rule no longer is in effect.
Interceptions change the possession of the ball at the point of interception. Interceptions are the only changes of possession that do not start on the 5-yard line. Interceptions may be returned.

All players are eligible to receive passes (including the quarterback if the ball has been handed off behind the line of scrimmage).
Only one player is allowed in motion at a time.
A player must have at least one foot inbounds when making a reception.

Dead Balls

The ball must be snapped between the legs, not off to one side, to start play.
Substitutions may be made on any dead ball.
Play is ruled “dead” when:
— Ball carrier’s flag is pulled
— Ball carrier steps out of bounds
— Touchdown or safety is scored
— At the point of an interception (interception returns are not allowed)
— Ball carrier’s knee hits the ground
— Ball carrier’s flag falls out
Note: There are no fumbles. The ball is spotted where the ball hits the ground.

Defense

All players who rush the passer must be a minimum of ten yards from the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. Any number of players can rush the quarterback. Players not rushing the quarterback may defend on the line of scrimmage.

Once the ball is handed off, the ten-yard rule no longer is in effect, and all defenders may go behind the line of scrimmage. A special marker, or the referee, will designate ten yards from the line of scrimmage. Remember, no blocking or tackling is allowed.

Sportsmanship Monitoring

If the referee witnesses any acts of tackling, elbowing, cheap shots, blocking or any unsportsmanlike act, the game will be stopped and the player will be ejected from the game. FOUL PLAY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

Trash talking is illegal. Officials have the right to determine offensive language. (Trash talk is talk that may be offensive to officials, opposing players, teams or spectators.) If trash talking occurs, the referee will give one warning. If it continues, the player or players will be ejected from the game.

Penalties

The referee will call all penalties.

Defense:

Offsides
Five yards and automatic first down

Interference
10 yards and automatic first down

Illegal contact
(holding, blocking, etc.)
10 yards and automatic first down

Illegal FLAG pull
(before receiver has ball)
10 yards and automatic first down

Illegal rushing
(starting rush from inside 7-yard marker)
10 yards and automatic first down

Offense:

Illegal motion
(more than one person moving, false start, etc.)
Five yards and loss of down

Illegal forward pass
(pass thrown beyond line of scrimmage)
Five yards and loss of down

Offensive pass interference
(illegal pick play, pushing off/away defender)
10 yards and loss of down

FLAG guarding
10 yards (from line of scrimmage) and loss of down

Delay of game
Clock stops, 10 yards and loss of down

Referees determine incidental contact that may result from normal run of play. All penalties will be assessed from the line of scrimmage.

Only the team captain may ask the referee questions about rule clarification and interpretations. Players cannot question judgment calls.

Games cannot end on a defensive penalty, unless the offense declines it.

Scoring

The referee will keep the score of the game as well as record any foul play issues and will report this back to the League Director. No standings will be kept.

Touchdown:
6 points

Extra point:
1 point (played from 5-yard line) or
2 points (played from 12-yard line)

Safety:
2 points

Attire

Cleats are allowed, except for metal spikes. Inspections must be made. All players must wear a protective mouthpiece; there are no exceptions.
Official FYFF jerseys and flag belts must be worn during play.

Note: There are no kickoffs. There is no blocking or appearance of blocking is allowed. This includes intentional screens and convoys.

Diagrams

Field Layout

Weather

All teams must adhere to the following weather safety policy:

No practice or game will be played during thunder or lightning situations. If the game has started prior to these conditions, it shall stop immediately and everyone shall seek shelter. No game or practice may resume unless there is a consistent 30 minutes of safe skies. After 60 minutes any game shall be called and the Director will set up a make up time for any game.